The crossbow accessories checklist

Price this list before you compare bows. A four-hundred-dollar package with the scope, quiver, arrows and cocking aid included is frequently cheaper in total than a three-hundred-dollar bow without them.

Tier one: before the first hunt

1. A cocking aid you can operate, if the bow did not include one you can use. This is first because it is the only item that can make the bow unusable. See best cocking devices.
2. A target rated at or above the bow's published speed. Most bag targets stop at 425 fps. See best crossbow targets.
3. A dozen bolts matched to the bow — one length, one weight, one nock type. See best crossbow bolts.
4. String wax and rail lube. About thirty dollars together and they prevent the two failures that matter. See string wax and rail lube.

Tier two: before the season

In detail

The small items that make the kit work

01The string wax to buy and forget

$12.59/Amazon

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Bohning Tex-Tite Bowstring Wax

Bohning

9.2/ 10

A natural-based wax made for synthetic bowstrings that stays tacky in any weather, in a 1-ounce tube. A dry string frays and then breaks, and a broken string on a cocked crossbow is the most dangerous failure the machine has. This costs less than a single bolt.

Published spec	Value
For	Synthetic fiber bowstrings
Base	Natural wax
Size	1 oz tube
Weather	Remains tacky in all weather conditions
Purpose	Lubricates and lengthens string life
Use on rail	No — strings and cables only

What it does well

• Stays tacky in cold and wet rather than going hard
• Formulated for synthetic strings, which is what your bow has
• Cheapest item on the site, and it prevents the worst failure

Where it falls short

• String and cable wax only; the rail needs a separate lube
• One ounce goes fast if you over-apply

Our rubric

Effectiveness

9.0

Durability

8.6

Ease of use

9.4

Value

9.8

02The rail, which string wax must not touch

$14.99/Amazon

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Scorpion Venom Crossbow Rail Lube

Scorpion Venom

8.4/ 10

A dedicated crossbow rail lube. This is a separate product from string wax for a reason: the rail is where the string drags across the barrel on every shot, and the wrong lubricant there either gums up or wears off. The listing publishes only packaging dimensions, so judge it on the category rather than the data.

Published spec	Value
For	Crossbow rail
Not for	Strings and cables — use wax
Color	Yellow
Published detail	Packaging dimensions only

What it does well

• A rail-specific lubricant, which the rail needs and wax cannot do
• Widely used in the crossbow category

Where it falls short

• The listing publishes no formulation or volume detail
• Easy to over-apply, which collects grit

Our rubric

Effectiveness

8.4

Durability

8.0

Ease of use

8.6

Value

8.4

03The cheapest real noise reduction

$10.99/Amazon

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LimbSaver String Silencers (4-pack)

LimbSaver

8.8/ 10

Four string leeches in NAVCOM material, which LimbSaver credits with cutting up to 90 percent of string noise by damping oscillation. A crossbow's noise comes mostly from the string and limbs ringing after the shot, and this is the ten-dollar version of the fix.

Published spec	Value
Noise reduction	Up to 90% of string noise
Per pack	4
Material	NAVCOM
Mechanism	Reduces string oscillation
Install	Easy, no tools stated
Designed for	Compound and recurve bows

What it does well

• A published 90 percent string-noise figure
• Four in a pack, enough for two bows
• Installs without a press
• Cheapest noise fix available

Where it falls short

• String noise is only part of total bow noise; limbs ring too
• Adds mass to the string, which costs a little speed
• Marketed for compound and recurve bows generally, not crossbow-specific

Our rubric

Effectiveness

8.6

Durability

8.2

Ease of use

9.2

Value

9.6

04A quiver you can take off the bow

$49.99/Amazon

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TenPoint 3-Arrow Instant Detach Quiver

TenPoint

8.4/ 10

4.75 ounces, three arrows, three mounting positions, and a rubber loop so it hangs silently from a treestand hook. The detach matters more than the weight: a quiver mounted under the barrel is the first thing that snags on a blind window.

Published spec	Value
Weight	4.75 oz
Capacity	3 arrows
Mounting positions	3
Mount	Traditional or side-mount bracket; under-mount included
Hanging	Flexible rubber loop for silent treestand hanging
Detach	Instant

What it does well

• 4.75 ounces is light for a mounted quiver
• Three mounting positions to clear your blind window
• A rubber hanging loop for a silent treestand hang

Where it falls short

• Three arrows only
• TenPoint bracket patterns; check your bow's mount

Our rubric

Effectiveness

8.6

Durability

8.4

Ease of use

9.0

Value

7.8

05Carrying a seven-pound bow a long way

$34.95/Amazon

$38.99 10% off

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CenterPoint Padded Crossbow Shoulder Sling

CenterPoint

8.4/ 10

A 5-inch-wide padded sling with a non-slip shoulder surface and quick-detach swivels, for any CenterPoint bow. Five inches of padding is the figure that matters: a narrow strap on a 7-pound crossbow cuts into your shoulder inside a mile.

Published spec	Value
Pad width	5 in
Surface	Non-slip
Attachment	Quick-detach swivels
Fits	All CenterPoint crossbows
Carry	Hands-free

What it does well

• Five inches of padding spreads the load properly
• Quick-detach so it comes off at the stand
• A non-slip surface that stays on your shoulder

Where it falls short

• Specified for CenterPoint bows; sling studs vary by maker
• Expensive for a sling

Our rubric

Effectiveness

8.6

Durability

8.2

Ease of use

9.0

Value

7.8

1. Broadheads, plus a broadhead-capable target to verify them. Three heads and three shots. See best crossbow broadheads.
2. String silencers, if the bow does not have them. LimbSaver publishes up to 90 percent string-noise reduction for about ten dollars — the best value item on this page.
3. A quiver you can detach. TenPoint's publishes 4.75 oz and three mounting positions, and taking it off buys you about two inches of width in a blind.
4. A padded sling. CenterPoint's publishes a 5 in pad with quick-detach swivels. A narrow strap on a seven-pound bow cuts in within a mile.
5. A case with a published fit specification. See best crossbow cases.
6. A bolt case. Plano's holds six bolts to 23.75 in. A crushed vane throws a bolt off at distance.
7. A hex key set, for the scope rings, limb bolts and quiver bracket you now have to check before every hunt.

Tier three: worth having

• A better scope, if the bundled one has no speed dial. The single most effective upgrade to a budget bow. See scopes under $200.
• A handheld rangefinder. Misjudged range is the most common cause of a missed crossbow shot past 30 yards, and this is the cheap fix.
• A discharge target, if the bow does not de-cock. A 12 in foam cube rated to 450 fps works. See how to de-cock a crossbow.
• Lighted nocks, where legal. They make low-light recovery far easier.
• Spare nocks. Cheap, and they fail more often than people expect.
• A spare cocking aid for the truck. A cocker left at home is a hunt that does not happen.

What the bow may already include

Read the included list before buying any of this. Typical package contents on this site:

What you do not need

• A rangefinding scope, for a first season. A handheld rangefinder does the same job for a fraction, and in some states electronic sights are not legal for hunting.
• Two different bolt weights. Your scope's speed dial can only be set for one velocity.
• A hard case, unless the bow is flying. A soft case with backpack straps is more useful and far lighter.
• Proprietary everything. If a bow ties you to one arrow or one nock, that is a running cost — know about it before, not after.